Pouderoyen ‘A’ yesterday battled its ‘B’ counterpart to an exciting 2-2 stalemate at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, as they intensified preparations for their scheduled pre-season tour of Bartica from November 26-28.
Travis Bess, coach of the team during a post-match comment said, “I used the game as part of the selection process for the Bartica tour which will occur in the next two weeks. It was part of the preparation process because we are going over from the 26-28 and I am trying to keep them active for those matches. We are going to have nine sessions before we head out to Bartica and we are looking to give a good account of ourselves, not just perform but also be victorious on the tour. We are looking to win both of our games.”
Stephon Jupiter almost gave the ‘B’ outfit the lead in the 11th minute only to be denied by the leg of the custodian after he raced into the left side of the penalty area. However, it was ‘A’ Team which broke the deadlock when midfielder EJ Mars netted in the 19th minute.
It was a conversion which was aided by a goalkeeping blunder as Mars uncorked a curling right footed free-kick from outside the left of the penalty box, which bounced under the diving goalkeeper and settled into the back of the net.
Veteran forward Darcy Richards pushed the score to 2-0 when he found the back of the net in the 29th minute. Lurking inside the centre of the six-yard area, Richards slotted his effort unchallenged into the left corner, after an initial strike from the right side of the box, was parried into his path.
The score remained unchanged heading into the halftime interval. However, it proved to be fixture of two halves as the ‘B’ Team equalized with two unanswered goals in a very physical and open period.
Winger Glenroy Semple reduced the deficit in the 56th minute capping a beautifully worked attacking combination.
Chidune Chidi Matthews, upon evading several challenges on the left side of the field, raced into the penalty box and placed a perfectly weighted pass into the path of the onrushing Semple, who slammed his effort into the lower right corner.
The comeback for the ‘B’ unit was then sealed in the 68th minute with Matthews the protagonist in the conversion. Awarded a penalty kick for a clumsy challenge inside the area, Matthews slotted his right footed effort past the diving goalkeeper into the lower right corner.
